ResumoO processo respiratório e diversas reações oxidativas das células aeróbicas levam à formação de radicais livres, que contribuem para o aparecimento de diversas doenças. As células humanas dependem de sua capacidade antioxidante para fornecer proteção contra os efeitos prejudiciais de radicais livres e espécies reativas do oxigênio, que são conseqüências inevitáveis da vida aeróbica. Vários estudos epidemiológicos indicam que a alta ingestão de produtos vegetais está associada com uma redução no risco de uma variedade de doenças crônicas como aterosclerose e câncer, efeitos que têm sido particularmente atribuídos aos compostos que possuem atividade antioxidante nos vegetais: vitaminas C e E, os compostos fenólicos, especialmente os flavonóides, e os carotenóides. Compostos fenólicos agem como antioxidantes, não somente por sua habilidade em doar hidrogênio ou elétrons, mas também em virtude de seus radicais intermediários estáveis, que impedem a oxidação de vários ingredientes do alimento, particularmente de lipídios. Carotenóides são constituídos de cadeias de polienos, em um longo sistema de duplas ligações conjugadas, rico em elétrons, responsável pela atividade antioxidante desses compostos: tanto na absorção do oxigênio singlet quanto de radicais livres, para interromper as reações em cadeia onde eles estão envolvidos. Este trabalho teve por finalidade revisar as diferentes formas de avaliação qualitativa e quantitativa dos principais componentes não-nutrientes antioxidantes em alimentos de origem vegetal: compostos fenólicos e carotenóides. Palavras-chave: Avaliação qualitativa, avaliação quantitativa, componentes não-nutrientes AbstractThe respiratory process and several aerobic cells oxidative reactions lead to the formation of free radicals which contribute to the appearance of different diseases. The human cells depend on their antioxidant ability to provide protection against the prejudicial effects of free radical and reactive oxygen species that are inevitable consequences of aerobic life. Several epidemiologic studies indicate that high plant products ingestion is associated to a reduction in the hazard of a variety of cronical diseases such as arteriosclerosis and cancer. These effects have been specifically attributed to the plant compounds that have antioxidant activity: vitamin C and E, phenolic compounds, specially flavonoids, and carotenoids.

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Ciênc. Tecnol. Aliment., Campinas, 23(2): 135-140, maio-ago. 2003 135Purificação parcial e caracterização bioquímica de lipase extracelular produzida por nova linhagem de Rhizopus sp., Pastore et al.

The almond cake is a protein- and oil-rich by-product of the mechanical expression of almond oil that has the potential to be used as a source of valuable proteins and lipids for food applications. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the individual and combined effects of solids-to-liquid ratio (SLR), reaction time, and enzyme use on oil and protein extraction yields from almond cake. A central composite rotatable design was employed to maximize the overall extractability and distribution of extracted components among the fractions generated by the aqueous (AEP) and enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction process (EAEP). Simultaneous extraction of oil and protein by the AEP was favored by the use of low SLR (1:12.82) and longer reaction times (2 h), where extraction yields of 48.2% and 70% were achieved, respectively. Increased use of enzyme (0.85%) in the EAEP resulted in higher oil (50%) and protein (75%) extraction yields in a shorter reaction time (1 h), compared with the AEP at the same reaction time (41.6% oil and 70% protein extraction). Overall, extraction conditions that favored oil and protein extraction also favored oil yield in the cream and protein yield in the skim. However, increased oil yield in the skim was observed at conditions where higher oil extraction was achieved. In addition to improving oil and protein extractability, the use of enzyme during the extraction resulted in the production of skim fractions with smaller and more soluble peptides at low pH (5.0), highlighting possible uses of the EAEP skim in food applications involving acidic pH. The implications of the use of enzyme during the extraction regarding the de-emulsification of the EAEP cream warrant further investigation.

Manganese peroxidase (MnP) is a ligninolytic enzyme that is involved in the removal of lignin from the cell wall of plants. This removal facilitates the access of hydrolytic enzymes to the carbohydrate polymers that are hydrolyzed to simple sugars, which allows the subsequent fermentation to obtain bioproducts, such as ethanol. In this work, response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the culture conditions on unexpensive substrate for MnP secretion by Trametes villosa. Three independent variables were evaluated (i.e., temperature, moisture content and pH). The crude extract containing MnP was used in the delignification experiment and it caused a reduction in lignin content for all residues tested: 35.05 ± 1.45 (%) for the sugar cane bagasse; 63.11 ± 0.06 (%) for the sisal fiber and 39.61 ± 0.39 (%) for the coconut shell, under the reaction conditions tested after 4 hours of fermentation. The preliminary results exhibited the potential application of this enzyme in the removal of lignin from plant residues. However, the conditions should be evaluated and optimized for each residue type.

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